The Fighter's Stubborn Lover (The Burton Brothers Series Book 2) by Leslie North Page B

outside with Dustin and the van. Alice and Bryant had an appointment with her OB, so you are stuck with me to get you to the door. And I will not have you spoiling the party everyone’s been holding off on having until you could get home.” She grinned. “Dustin has a surprise for you.”
    Mason eyed her. His body still ached in places it shouldn’t. He had a cast on one arm, a hip sore from too many days in bed and the only thing he was sick of now was being poked, prodded, and scanned. “What about a surprise from you? You do know I remember you talking about something black and lacy.”
    Her cheeks colored. She waved at the wheelchair. “The hospital wants you to use this to get to the door. Do that for them—for me—and I’ll see about a private showing of just what I was talking about.”
    Reaching out, he took her hand. “You know, I’m kind of fond of cartoon characters. The sexy stuff is cool, but I’ve been dreaming about getting you home and peeling off your layers. It’s like unwrapping the best birthday present ever.”
    Leaning down, she threw the long braid of her hair back over her shoulder. “If you get in the wheelchair, I can sit in your lap on the way out.”
    Mason plopped himself down in the chair and patted his lap. “Okay, time to ride.” He pulled her into his lap with his good arm. She giggled and he started wheeling himself out, shouting out, coming through. They raced down the hall, barely missing an orderly with a cart. At the doors, Mason climbed out of the chair with Avery in his arms.
    “Mason—put me down. You’re still recovering.”
    He shook his head. “The word is recovered. Doctors gave me two thumbs up.” They’d also advised him to give up the ring. He could train, but they’d warned him that another concussion and he might never wake up. He was still trying to process that. He hadn’t told Avery, but he had told Beck—who’d flat out said it was about time Mason wised up and shifted over to training. “It’s about time you wised up. You could be making a fortune as a trainer, and dad’s getting old enough he needs someone to help out with the dojo. That’s not going to be Bryant, now that he’s hooked up with Anders, and you know I don’t have the patience for young idiots, so why are you ignoring what it’s plain to us is your real talent?”
    That had stung. Mason had always thought of himself as a fighter, but now he was going to have to change his mind about that.
    Setting Avery on her feet, he put his hands on her face. She smiled up at him. “Avery, Bryant said he’s putting a ring on Alice’s finger next month in ‘Vegas. What do you say we make that a double wedding?”
    Her eyes widened. “Double? Isn’t that…shouldn’t we…oh, hell. Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you Mason. Today, tomorrow, next week, next month.”
    He leaned down and kissed her, long and deep. She softened in his arms and gave one of those small moans he loved to hear from her. Breaking off the kiss, he said, “Do you mind if I give up fighting.”
    Pulling back, she shook her head. “No. I’m not giving you ultimatums, Mason. I’m…I’m working on being positive. And if you want to fight, I want you to do what you love.”
    “What if what I love is you. And…and the doctors told me I’d be smart to quit.” He told her then what the doctors had said. She listened, her lower lip caught between her teeth. That kept distracting him. He still wanted to nibble on those lips.
    When he finished talking, she stepped closer and put her hands on his chest. “Mason, if you love to fight, then do that. Yes, you could get another head injury—and if that happens, I’m going to want to kick your ass. But…hell, Mason, you could get hit by a bus. Or I could. I’m done—or I’m trying to be done—with worries that hold me back.”
    He grinned. “So we’re taking up sky diving lessons?”
    She smiled and wound her hands around his neck. “Well, if we’re doing that, we